Work Force Education and Training Consultations

Monday 20th December 2010 Written Statements

[The Secretary of State for Health (Mr Andrew Lansley)]

Today I am publishing a consultation document seeking views on proposals set out in the White Paper, “Equity and Excellence: Liberating the NHS” (Cm7881). We are consulting on proposals to create a new framework for education and training of the health care work force. Under these proposals, health care providers will be given responsibility for planning and developing the work force, while the quality of education and training will remain under the stewardship of the health care professions.

“Liberating the NHS: Developing the Healthcare Workforce” has been placed in the Library. Copies are available to hon. Members in the Vote Office and to noble Lords from the Printed Paper Office. The consultation is also available at www.dh.gov.uk/en/Consultations/Liveconsultations/DH_122590.

“Liberating the NHS: Developing the Healthcare Workforce” further develops the education and training commitments in the White Paper that:

Health care employers and their staff will agree plans and funding for work force development and training;

education and commissioning will be led locally and nationally by the health care professions; working with employers;

the professions will have a leading role in deciding the structure and content of training and quality standards;

all providers of health care services will pay to meet the costs of education and training with transparent funding flows supporting the level playing field between providers;

the NHS Commissioning Board will provide national patient and public oversight of health care providers’ funding plans for training and education, checking that these reflect its strategic commissioning intentions. GP consortia will provide this oversight at local level; and

the Centre for Workforce Intelligence will act as a consistent source of information and analysis, informing and informed by all levels of the system.

This consultation is an opportunity to seek the views of health care providers, health care professionals and the wider public to inform the development of a new framework for education and training and developing the health care work force.

The consultation period will close on 31 March 2011.